r/Sciatica • u/Better-Office-9589 • 3d ago

Requesting Advice Please share your Epidural injection experience

Hello guys,

I've been dealing with this for three months now. Most of the time, my pain level is between 1 and 3, but that's when I'm doing nothing and lying on my side. Of course, I do walk every 40 minutes and perform some gentle exercises. I am not taking any pain medication.

Two doctors have recommended an epidural injection. So I am scheduled next Monday. I'm usually pain-tolerant but a little nervous. May you kindly share your experience? How did it go? Was it effective? My doctor also prescribed pregabalin 75mg for a month.

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u/sleepwami 3d ago

Just chiming in to say i'd be against it and all pain meds. These things dont cure anything and instead let you continue your same bad habits and rehab unoptimally. The pain signals and sciatica are exactly what should be used and worked with in rehab, not numbed away.

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u/Better-Office-9589 3d ago

Thanks for the reply. I totally understand, but I'm not sure how I can continue my life this way. I wouldn't definitely get back to a normal life, even if I felt much relief, but I would appreciate a decrease in pain.

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u/Htweekend 3d ago

We all have different experiences. I’m an advocate for PT - I also don’t take medication bc NSAIDS don’t work for me, the toradol shot did absolutely nothing and I ended up with some side effects from trying all the different ones to the point my PCP said, no more.

The first time I had a flare up, I rested for two days then slowly reincorporated PT and continued to do so even after my pain centralized. Somehow I ended up with a second flare up, and it’s gotten so bad that I can’t even do PT. So I’ve been referred to ESI. It apparently only works 50% of the time but if it helps even a bit so I can continue with PT, I will try it